Trials of Love
by RTSam
Summary: Elliot is a single father facing every dad's worst nightmare. Can Olivia help him put the pieces of his life back together after a terrible tragedy? Follow Olivia and Elliot as their love is put to the test...  sorry, I suck at summaries
1. Chapter 1

AN: This is only my second attempt at an EO story. I've never really done anything this AU before, but I'm going to give it a shot... and when I say AU... I mean SERIOUSLY AU! I'm tired of Olivia getting dumped on all the time, so for once, she's going have a good life! This is set in their senior year of college... Please review!

I don't own any part of SVU. Dick Wolfe does... idiot! If I owned it, well, the fans wouldn't be so pissed off... I only own the story line.

Thanks to my amazing beta :) Luvs!

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><p>Olivia Benson Donnelly bounced the eraser of her pencil up and down, rapidly, on top of the table she occupied at Hudson University's campus library. She glanced at her watch and let out a frustrated sigh. Her lab partner, Elliot Stabler, was late. <em>Again.<em>She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out, hoping it was Elliot explaining where he was. Instead, she smiled, seeing that it was her father.

"Hey, Daddy," she whispered, not wanting to disturb those around her whose partners _had_shown up.

"Hello, Angel. How's your day been?"

Olivia pushed her hair behind her ear and exhaled loudly. "Elliot's late again, Daddy. This is seriously getting old. I swear, if he affects my grade, I'm gonna-"

"I can't hear you," her father sang in her ear. "You know I can't hear you threaten the life of another. How's it going to look to the review board when my daughter kills her chemistry lab partner? I'm a sergeant."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Funny, Daddy. Really dang funny. But it's not chemistry, it's psych class."

"Hang in there, Angel. It'll be okay."

"I will. All I can say is that he better show up today. Will you please tell Mom that I'll be home late tomorrow afternoon? I have a few things to do around here with Alex and Casey in the morning and then I'll be home," she told her father as she continued looking through the crowded library for Elliot. "I tried to get her earlier, but she didn't answer."

"She's in court this afternoon, honey. No worries, I'll tell her when she gets home."

"Thanks, Daddy. I love you and I can't wait to see you."

"I've missed you something terrible, my angel."

Olivia smiled and looked up to see Elliot making his way towards her. "Back at ya. Look, Elliot's here. I'll call you later. Are you on call tonight?" she asked her dad as Elliot approached the table and unpacked his bag.

"Just til midnight. I love you," her dad told her. "And Angel, don't kill your partner," he teased.

"I love you, too." Olivia chuckled and hung up the phone. She glared at Elliot as he sat down in front of her. "You're late," she informed him. "Again."

Elliot glanced at his partner and smiled a tired smile. "I know, Olivia, and I'm sorry. I told you this time is hard for me. I'm doing the best I can." Olivia watched as he ran his hands over his face and sighed heavily. She could immediately tell that something was bothering him, but they weren't technically friends, so she wondered if it would be inappropriate to ask him what was wrong. "Look, if you want another partner, a better partner, I can go to Professor James and see what he can do," he offered.

Olivia gasped and her hand flew out to touch his arm. "No, Elliot, I don't want that," she told him. "You're a terrific partner... when you show up." Elliot looked up to argue with her but stopped when he saw her smirk. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm just stressed and I hate psych. It's not like we're behind on this thing, anyway," she said as she took her hand back.

"I know, I just feel bad. I know I'm late and I duck out early, but I do have a reason, Olivia. I'm not slacking on our project, I swear. I just have a lot going on."

Olivia saw this as her opening and decided to take a chance. She looked down at her hands and began twisting them together. "Elliot," she started, "I remember the 'you' from high school. You were this macho-man football player and involved in everything. You're a freshman starter on the football team freshman year here and then you suddenly disappear for a few years and you come back as some brooding asshole. What happened?"

Elliot's brows drew together on a frown. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I just mean that you're different. Harsher, I guess. Has something happened?"

"It's called 'growing up', Olivia. Things happen and suddenly 'football' isn't the most important thing in the world," he snapped, trying to keep from yelling. "You should try it sometime."

Olivia threw her hands out to the side and then pointed at him. "See! That's what I mean. Elliot, I've known you for almost five years and you've never been one to get so angry so fast. What the hell is going on with you?" She watched as Elliot stood up and began to collect his books. "Christ, Elliot, where are you going?"

Elliot slammed his books down and glared at Olivia. "I don't need this right now, Olivia. I'm leaving before I say something I'll regret." He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll email you my part of the project later this week," he said as he walked away from her and out the door.

Olivia watched him as he walked out the doors of the library. She was so confused as to what had happened to him. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see her best friend standing behind her. "Shit, Casey, you scared me."

"Sorry," Casey said, watching Olivia pack her things. "What happened with Elliot? Trouble in psych paradise?" she asked, laughing at her own joke. Olivia shot her a look and she threw her hands in the air. "Alright, sorry. Listen, what time do you want Alex to get here in the morning?" she questioned as the two friends made their way out of the library and towards their shared apartment.

"The earlier, the better, Case. I have to be home, not just in Manhattan, but walking up to my bedroom, at no later than 5 or my mom will kill me! This dinner is so important to her," Olivia told her. "Not to mention, I have to drop you at your house and pick up and drop off Melinda as well,"

"We'll make sure you're home, Livvy. Promise."

"I'm serious, Casey. I want to help Alex look for her wedding dress but I absolutely cannot miss this dinner. Mom's campaign is riding on this."

"Honey, I know. I've got to be there too, remember?" Casey reminded her. "I can't believe your mom is going to be a judge."

"Hopefully," she said, correcting her friend.

Casey and Olivia arrived at their apartment and sat their books down on the kitchen table. Casey grabbed two diet sodas out of the refrigerator and sat down next to Olivia on the couch. Olivia looked at her watch an sighed. "Gosh, I have to be at the hospital in an hour an a half for my shift."

"I still can't believe your parents are making you volunteer at Children's Hospital. Don't they understand your workload? You're taking, like, almost double the hours I am and I can barely keep up with my car keys because of my stress," Casey said, amazed that her friend could still remember her own name.

Olivia laughed and took a drink of her soda. "It's not as bad as you think, Case. I'm there in the seriously late evening. Most of the kids are asleep so they don't need much and I keep a few of them company if they are bored."

"That's it?"

"I actually have a good bit of time to study. The CEO is a college friend of my mom's, that's how I got the position. I have fun, Casey. Those kids are so sweet and you know how much I love kids," she gushed, tucking her legs underneath her on the couch. "This one kid, Sarah, has been teaching me how to play Mario Kart on the Wii. I swear, I have got to get one of those," she giggled.

"My brother got one for Christmas. He and my dad played golf for three days!" Casey told her, laughing at the memory. She paused for a moment, turning serious. "Livvy, why do your parents want you to volunteer at a hospital and not somewhere else -like an attorney's office- since you don't want to be a doctor or anything like that?" she asked.

Olivia sighed and twisted her hair back into a clip. "Mom is still trying to get me to change my mind about law enforcement." She grabbed her soda and took another drink. "She hates the fact that I want to be a cop and she's doing everything she can to change my mind."

"I don't get why she's so against it, Livvy. She's an attorney -almost a judge- and your dad is a sergeant. I know he's your step-father but still..." she trailed off.

"I know, Case. She's just scared, I guess. How many times has my dad been shot in the last six months?"

"True," Casey said as she stood up and walked into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and stared at the contents inside. She closed the door and opened the pantry as Olivia walked in behind her and threw her soda can away. "Why in the hell is there never any food in this apartment, Livvy?" she whined.

Olivia laughed and leaned against the counter, folding her arms across her chest. "There's plenty to eat here, Case. You just don't know how to cook."

"Not everyone is as amazing as you," Casey praised, sarcastically.

"So very true. I'm one of a kind." Olivia looked at her watch and pushed away from the counter. "I've got to change into my scrubs and get to the hospital," she told her friend as she made her way into her room.

Casey groaned and shut the pantry door. "Livvy! Will you please fix me something to eat before you leave?" she begged, following Olivia down the hall.

"Grow up," Olivia laughed and closed her bedroom door on Casey.

Casey laughed as well as she dramatically banged on the door. "I'll starve! I'll die and you'll feel so bad knowing you could have prevented it if you'd only fixed me dinner!"

"You're pathetic!" Olivia called back through the door as she quickly changed into her royal blue scrubs. Ten minutes later, Olivia walked out of her room and back into the living room with Casey. Her hair was in a high ponytail, she had on her new tennis shoes, and started packing her books into her back pack. "Case, I made a chicken casserole last night while you were out with Ben. Just put the pan in the oven on 350 for 30 minutes"

Casey jumped off the couch and threw her arms around her best friend. "I love you so much," she yelled. "I knew you wouldn't let me starve!"

Olivia pushed Casey off of her and slung her bag onto her shoulder, grabbed her purse and keys and walked to the door. "I love you too, you butt."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey everyone! I am soooooo sorry for this long wait in between chapters! Real life got in the way and I'm sorry! I promise to be better with updates!**

**As always, I own nothing but the actual story line… Dick Wolfe owns the rest… careless though he may be with them. Ugh!**

**And don't forget to REVIEW! Leave one here and/or on twitter RTSam06**

Olivia strolled down the hall of the hospital towards the orthopedic wing of Children's Hospital, smiling at the people she passed. She entered the unit and made her way towards the break room to put her things in her locker. Just as she was putting in the combination to her locker, she heard the door open and her name being called. 

"Hey Mary," Olivia said, greeting her supervisor with a smile.

"Hi dear. Listen, we need to move you to another unit tonight. We're not full on our unit but the cardiac wing is and they need an extra hand. Their volunteer didn't show up. Do you mind going down there for the night?" Mary asked.

"No, ma'am. Isn't that on the fifth floor?"

"Yea. Just go to the double doors and scan your badge. Ask for Lynn and she'll tell you what to do. Thanks again, honey. We'll see you tomorrow unless they need you again."

"Have a good night, Mary," Olivia said as she made her way out of the unit and down to the fifth floor. Once there, she scanned her badge and the doors opened.

Olivia was surprised at how different the cardiac unit looked from the other units she'd been to in the hospital. The walls were painted to look like you were in a field of wild-flowers and the ceiling was painted a light blue, like the sky. There were clouds painted around the light fixtures. The look of the unit made her smile. She made her way to the nurse's desk and asked the first person she saw for Lynn.

"You're looking at her," the woman, clearly in her late fifties, answered. "You must be Olivia," she stated.

"Yes, ma'am. Mary said you all needed an extra hand."

Lynn stacked the papers she'd just been going through and stood up. "We sure do. Follow me, honey, and I'll show you where you can stash your stuff." She held the door open for Olivia as they made their way into the break room. "Ok, honey, this is our spare locker. There's no lock on it, but you can't get into this room without an ID badge so your stuff should be fine." She waited as Olivia put away her things and then led her back out the door. "So here's the deal. This unit is quite different from the ortho floor. Our babies are much sicker. Some look it and some don't. We have three babies on our unit right now who are living here. They can't go home until they get a new heart."

Olivia stared at the woman, her eyes wide. "You mean, they're waiting to have a transplant?" She couldn't imagine what it was like living in a hospital. Not able to leave. Not able to sleep in your own bed. It was heartbreaking. "How sad," she whispered.

"Exactly. Do you think you'll be able to handle this?"

Olivia swallowed and looked the woman in the eyes. Her heart was racing but she was determined to see this through. "I'll be fine."

Lynn smiled and patted Olivia on the back. "Good. I think the kids are gonna love you," she said. "We don't ask too much from our volunteers on this floor. Basically, you're dealing with sick kids. Sick kids get scared. Parents get stressed. It's not always pretty down here, Olivia."

"I understand."

"Not to be rude, honey, but I don't think you do. You remember those three babies I told you about?" Olivia nodded. "At any minute, one or even all three of them could take a turn for the worse, and if there isn't a heart available, then there's nothing we can do for them," Lynn told her, matter-of-factly. "I'm not trying to be mean, Olivia, but I just want you to be prepared."

"Yes ma'am. I know I haven't been around sick children all that much, but I'm actually pretty good in high-stress situations and I think I'll be ok. If I find I can't handle it, I'll be sure to let you know before I freak out." For the first time in her life, Olivia Donnolley actually thought she might not be able to handle something. But her mother had raised her to never quit and to give it her all.

Lynn smiled and proceeded to give Olivia a tour of the rest of the floor, pointing out the various rooms and explaining what they were used for. Once they were finished with the tour, the two returned to the nurse's station so that Lynn could finish the paperwork she was doing. Olivia got out her psychology book to work on the project she was doing with Elliot while there was some down time. After about thirty minutes, Olivia heard a beeping coming from the desk and looked around. Lynn got up and hit a button, connecting her to a patient's room. She heard a little voice ask for some water and Olivia got up to get it.

"What room?" Olivia asked as she came out of the refreshment room.

"That was Katie. She's in room 30, right around the corner," Lynn told her. "Thanks, Honey"

Olivia nodded and made her way around the corner to Katie's room. She knocked lightly on the door and went inside. "Hi, Katie," she greeted the little girl. "I have your water, sweetie."

Katie rolled over in her bed and looked at the door, wondering who the new voice belonged to. "Who are you?" the little blonde asked as she sat up in her bed.

"My name is Olivia. I'm helping out down here tonight."

Katie pushed a hand through her long blonde hair trying to get it out of her face. "Oh," she said while reaching for her water. "How old are you?"

"I'm 21. How old are you?"

"I'm 4. My daddy is 22." Katie looked Olivia up and down, trying to decide if she liked her. "You can sit on my bed if you want," she told her, decision made.

Olivia smiled at the little girl and took a seat as she looked around the room. "I see you have a lot of books. Do you like to read?"

Katie looked up at Olivia from her water cup and smiled. "I love to read Miss Livvie. My daddy reads to me all the time."

"Sounds to me like you have a great daddy."

"My daddy is my best friend. He reads me stories, and plays barbies and dolls with me. We had a tea party today!" Katie said, gushing about her daddy to Olivia. "He dressed up and everything!"

Olivia chuckled at the little girl's enthusiasm. She couldn't help but notice that Katie had yet to mention her mother. She watched as Katie tried, yet again, to push her long hair back behind her ears. She reached out and brushed a piece out of the little girl's eye. "Do you want me to fix your hair for you, Katie?"

Katie's eyes lit up. "Will you braid it like yours is, Miss Livvie? That will get it out of my eyeballs!"

Olivia laughed and patted the girl's cheek. "I sure can. I bet it will look so pretty. Let me go tell Mrs Lynn where I am, okay. I'll be right back," Olivia told her. She got off the bed and went to see if it was alright for her to stay in Katie's room. Lynn told her it was fine and that she would call her if she needed her. Olivia walked quickly back into Katie's room and saw an array of hair brushes and pony-tail holders spread across the bed. She chuckled at the little girl.

"Livvy, I got all the hair bands I had!"

Olivia sat down and looked at the spread before her. She picked up two pink bands and twirled them in her fingers. "I can see that. So, Katie, do you want one braid, like mine, or two?"

Katie put her finger to her chin, mulling over her decision. "Umm... I want two! Daddy calls them piggy-tails."

Olivia watched Katie closely and decided to ask about her daddy. "Where is your daddy tonight? Are you staying here by yourself?" she asked as she moved to sit behind the little girl and began to brush out her long blonde hair.

Katie giggled and looked back at Olivia. "No, silly. He had to go to school. He always comes back before bed time," she told her.

Olivia noticed that Katie was getting sleepy as she brushed out her hair and braided it. She tried to hurry before the little girl fell asleep on her. Once she was finished, she put Katie's hair accessories back in the bathroom and tucked the little girl into bed. Katie asked Olivia if she would stay and watch a video with her until her daddy got there and Olivia told her she would, she just needed to check in with Ms Lynn first. Olivia returned a few minutes later and sat down in the chair beside the little girl's bed.

"No, Miss Livvie, I want you to lay down with me. Please?" Katie asked her with her big blue eyes. Olivia smiled at the little girl and moved to sit beside her in the bed. "Can we watch _Finding Nemo_?"

"Sure, Katie. Where are your movies?"

Katie pointed across the room to a bookcase filled with books, movies, picture frames, and toys. Olivia knelt down to look for the movie and found herself face to face with a familiar pair of blue eyes. Her breath caught in her throat as she picked up the picture frame holding a picture of Katie and her psych partner, Elliot Stabler. She turned around to face the girl and held up the picture. "Katie? Who is this?"

Katie smiled and simply said, "That's my daddy," as she sat the head of her bed up a bit. "Did you find the movie?" she asked, oblivious to the pounding of Olivia's heart and her struggle to breathe. "I know it's there."

Olivia put the frame back and located the movie. She put the video in and joined Katie on the bed. She was surprised when the little girl immediately curled into her side and snuggled close. Olivia felt her panic lessen as she wrapped her arms around Katie and pressed the play button on the remote. She relaxed back in the bed and began to watch the animated film. Ten minutes into the movie, she looked down to find Katie sound asleep in her arms. Her mind started to wander and she rubbed the little girl's back. She had so many questions that she wanted to ask Elliot but she wasn't sure where to begin. And she wouldn't get much time to think about them because the door opened only seconds later and Olivia was once again staring into Elliot's blue eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I am soooo sorry that this has taken so long to update (again!) but my computer bit the dust and it took me forever to get a new one and to remember my password for ! LOL! And also, real life got in the way but I am BACK BABY! Thanks to everyone for the messages and the comments on the story! Thanks for not forgetting me :)

AN2: Obviously, I don't own the show because I wouldn't have let Chris leave... I'm just sayin...

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><p>"What the hell are you doing here?" Elliot asked, coming into his daughter's room. "How did you find out about her?" he hissed. His head was spinning. No one but family even knew he had a child. He didn't want news of his daughter or her condition to be known. He wanted to keep this private. "Well, say something," Elliot ordered.<p>

Olivia watched the emotions play across Elliot's face. The anger was the most prominent but there was also deep sadness and fear swimming in his blue eyes. She silently and carefully slipped her arm out from underneath Katie, being careful to not wake the sleeping girl, and crossed the room to stand near Elliot. "What do you want me to say, Elliot?" Olivia whispered. "Do you actually think I was stalking you? That I was waiting for you to leave so that I could make my move on your daughter?" she scoffed and brushed past him. Olivia knew he would follow and she didn't want to chance Katie waking up to her fighting with Elliot.

Once outside the room, Elliot grabbed Olivia's arm and spun her around. "Answer me," he whispered harshly. "How did you find out about my daughter?"

Lynn rounded the corner and watched as Olivia jerked her arm away from Elliot. "What is going on out here, Olivia?" she asked, giving Elliot a harsh glare. But before Olivia could answer she spoke again, this time to Elliot. "Mr Stabler, you had better have a dang good reason for man-handling my nurse's assistant like that."

Elliot took a step back from the two women and hung his head, "I'm sorry, Lynn," he whispered. "Olivia and I go to school together and I was surprised to see her."

"It's not me you should apologize to, Elliot," she said, tilting her head towards Olivia who had taken to studying the floor tiles. "Now, if I leave you two alone, will there be any more trouble?"

"No ma'am," Elliot answered, also studying the floor tiles. He shuffled his feet and briefly looked at Lynn as she made her way back to the main desk. He took a step closer to Olivia and briefly touched her arm. "Look, I'm sorry I grabbed you," he whispered. "And I'm sorry I got so angry; I'm just protective of her, Olivia. No one knows about her other than my family and two close friends and I reacted poorly. The last thing I thought I'd see when I got here was her cuddled with you."

Olivia shuffled her feet and continued to stare at the floor. She finally gathered the courage to look him in the eyes. "I forgive you for your reaction, Elliot, but I do have a question," she told him. "Why would you keep Katie a secret? That doesn't make sense to me. And if your meeting me to work on our project took time away from her, then why didn't you trust me enough to tell me what was going on? I'm not a horrible person," Olivia said, her voice slowly rising. "We could have worked something out."

Elliot sighed loudly and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, it was nothing personal. Please believe me on that. It's been non-stop drama since she was born. I don't mean that in a bad way." Elliot looked at her, briefly, and turned to wipe his eyes. "She was so sick when she was born, Liv," he said, his voice cracking. "Katie's had four heart surgeries. We're waiting to see if she needs a fifth one. I've almost lost her so many times."

Olivia could tell that he was close to breaking down so she stepped forward and laid her hand on his back. "If you don't want to talk about this now, Elliot, then don't. Just breathe, okay," she said soothingly, trying to calm him down, as she rubbed his back high on his shoulders.

Elliot nodded as he tried to calm himself down. After a few seconds he turned back to face Olivia. "I'm sorry, Liv. I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. I'm just... I'm tired. I'm stressed. It's no excuse though."

"I already told you that you're foriven," Olivia reminded him. She wanted to keep talking to Elliot because she knew talking about things would help take away some of the pressure he was under, but she also knew she was still on the clock and needed to get back to work. "El? Look, I have to get back to the desk. I'm still on the clock. I get off in about an hour though, so do you want to grab a bite from the cafeteria when I'm off?"

Elliot looked at her and smiled. "Sounds good. You go on back to work and I'm going to check on my girl." Olivia grinned and turned to go back to the desk and find Lynn. "Hey!" Elliot called quietly before she rounded the corner. "Thanks."

"No problem," she replied.

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><p>A little over an hour later, Olivia tapped on Elliot and Katie's door before opening it. Elliot looked up from his spot at the desk and smiled at her. "Hey," he whispered, closing his books and stacking them neatly. "It's been an hour already?"<p>

"Yea," she answered as she walked over and pulled up Katie's blanket. "You still want to grab a bite?"

"Of course. Let me grab my wallet. I'm fairly certain she's down for the count," he said as he nodded towards a sleeping Katie. Elliot grabbed his wallet, put it in his pocket, kissed his daughter, and walked out of the room with Olivia. They stopped at the desk so he could tell Lynn where he was going and that he'd be back soon and then headed to the elevators. "So how do you feel about going down the street to the deli instead of the cafeteria?" he asked Olivia while they waited on the elevators. "I'm a little tired of the cafeteria food."

Olivia smiled and said, "The deli sounds good to me." The elevator doors opened and she was surprised to feel Elliot's hand, low on her back, guiding her. She was even more surprised to find that she liked the feeling and felt herself blush.

The ride down to the lobby was quiet as more and more people got on with them. Two floors away from their stop, a man got on the elevator coughing and barely covering his mouth. He stood beside Olivia, putting her between Elliot and the sick man. As she inched a little closer to Elliot, he quickly took hold of Olivia's arm and pulled her in front of him, then to the other side of him, and wrapped his arm around her waist. The sick man had the nerve to look offended so Elliot gave him a glare and said, "My girlfriend doesn't need your germs." Olivia hid her face in Elliot's chest when people turned to look at them and when the elevator landed on their desired floor, he took her hand and quickly got off.

The young pair left the hospital and walked down the street quietly with Elliot walking closest to the street, Olivia noticed, and still holding hands. As they entered the deli, she almost groaned when he let go of her hand. _'What has gotten into me?'_ Olivia asked herself. _'It's not like you're dating'_. The two moved to stand in line and studied the menu, quietly. They both ordered their meal, both arguing over who would pay, and ultimately they each paid for their own dinner. Olivia followed Elliot to a quiet booth at the back of the restraunt.

"This okay?" he asked her.

"It's fine," Olivia replied, sitting down. The duo sat in awkward silence once again, neither knowing what to say next. "Hey, El," Olivia began, "thank you for what you did on the elevator." She met his eyes and blushed slightly.

Elliot smirked and gave her a wink. "No thanks necessary, Liv. That guy shouldn't have gotten on such a crowded elevator." They both chuckled and fell into another bout of silence. "So," Elliot began after guessing that they were both finished with their meals, "you still want to know all about Katie?"

"I'd love to know what ever you want to tell me, Elliot."

"I guess I should start from the beginning. Do you remember the girlfriend I had at the end of my senior year? Kathy?"

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><p>Sooo... I'm gonna end it there because this had the potential to be a really long chapter and I figured I'd break it up. The next chap is a little over half written so let me know what you think! Review here or on twitter RTSam06!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter! For those who don't know me personally, I am in the medical field. I work closely with trauma teams and transplant teams. Specifically pediatric transplant teams. This story is loosely based on a few of "my kids" that I work with on a daily basis. And I apologize in advance if I get a little to "into" the medical aspect. Thank goodness for my betas who keep me on track ;)

AN2: Yea, well, I still don't own :(

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><p>Elliot ran a hand over his face and looked across the table at Olivia. "So, um, do you remember the girl I was dating when I graduated high school? Kathy?" He watched as Olivia nodded. "We were going pretty strong all summer after graduation, you know, and she was supposed to go to a different college. Not Hudson, like us anyway. So out of the blue she tells me she's decided to come here with me and I wasn't all that excited, you know."<p>

Olivia raised an eyebrow at him. "Seriously?" she chuckled.

"Liv, you kind of had me pegged earlier, you know. I was this jock who didn't really care about anyone but himself. I had a good summer with a pretty girl and I was looking forward to her leaving and me having fun with a bunch of other girls." He looked up to notice the look she was giving him and he mentally slapped himself. "Damn, that really didn't come out right. I wasn't planning to hook up with every girl I saw, obviously, but I wasn't wanting to settle down either."

"It's okay, Elliot, I know what you meant," she reassured him.

"So, Kathy and I started Hudson in the fall and I was trying to find a way to break things off with her without hurting her. My buddy, Fin, got invited to this party and he wanted Kathy and I to go with him and his then-girlfriend. We went and had an okay time. Nothing special, you know. We both had a little too much to drink and when I took her back to her room, well..." he trailed off.

"Please, spare me the details. I can guess what happened next," Olivia joked.

"Yea. Anyway, I mean, after we slept together I thought maybe things would work out but Kathy just got more annoying and more judgmental of everything I did. I over heard her telling one of her friends that she liked our "couple status." She liked being the girlfriend of a football player." Elliot paused and took a sip of his drink. "So, I finally work up the courage to break up with her a few weeks later. I took her to dinner and then was going to do it when the night was over. But I never got to because she shocked the hell out of me by telling me she was pregnant."

"Ouch," Olivia chuckled.

"Exactly. So instead of breaking up with her, I told her I loved her. Stupid on my part, I know. I could barely stand her. But Liv, I didn't know what else to do. My parents always told me to take responsibility for my actions and stuff so I did what I thought was best."

Olivia reached over and laid her hand on his arm. "No one can fault you for doing what you think is right, El. Most guys in your then-situation would have gone through with the break up."

Elliot smiled at her and could feel some of the weight lift off his shoulders. "Thanks, Liv." He took in a deep breath and continued. "So, Kathy and I remained a couple. We told our parents about the baby and they were all less than thrilled, let me tell you. I thought Kathy's father was going to slaughter me on the spot. And both of our moms just cried. My dad was silent... and that's never good. Before we left my parents house, he pulled me upstairs and handed me a black box. It had my grandmothers ring in it. He told me I had to give it to Kathy. That I had to man-up and make a family for my child regardless of whether or not I loved it's mother." Elliot looked down and began picking his napkin apart, piece by piece. "My grandmother and I were so close, Liv. I didn't want Kathy wearing her ring. I told my dad that I couldn't take it because I already had one picked out. He saw right through that lie, man. He said that there was no use in me holding onto that ring for someone else because it could never go on anyone else's finger. We're catholic. We don't get divorced no matter how much you want to. I took the ring but never gave it to Kathy. I went out and bought something small and something I could afford and decided to save my grandmother's ring for my daughter."

Olivia furrowed her brow and looked at Elliot with a smirk. "How did your dad take that?"

Elliot chuckled and wiped a hand down his face, rubbing his eyes. "Oh, he wasn't happy at all. But at least when I told him I was saving it for my daughter he was somewhat okay." He leaned back in the booth and crossed his arms over his chest. He'd never been so happy to defy his father in his life over that ring. "Looking back, that's probably the best decision I've ever made where Kathy is concerned, keeping Katie not included obviously."

"Why do you say that?" she asked, looking down into her glass.

"Kathy's never been one to do what people tell her. She didn't take her vitamins as prescribed, she took hotter baths than she should have, and she was, oh God, she was so freaking needy. Lazy and needy are not good combinations. I started having to miss football practice and games and the coach got mad. He called me in his office and said that I needed to get my priorities straight. Obviously, he didn't know my girlfriend was pregnant."

"Obviously," Olivia agreed.

"See, Kathy never wanted me to go to the doctors with her. I'm not sure why but this one time. I demanded to get to go and I'm glad I did. They had done some tests on the baby and we were going to get some of the results."

"How far along was she?"

"She was just into her sixth month. We knew we were having a girl and we had almost decided on a name. We were narrowing it down when the doctor told us that on the last round of blood work and ultra sound, that the baby's heart wasn't normal. That they were going to have to wait until delivery to know exactly what was going on."

Olivia's jaw dropped and as her mind raced. She couldn't imagine being told that her child had a heart condition before he or she was even born. She couldn't fathom the heartache that Elliot and Kathy had to endure. "Oh, Elliot," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. I can't- I can't imagine what that must have been like."

Elliot ran a hand down his face and then gripped the back of his neck. "I wish I could say that was the scariest moment of my life but it's not. Katie has given me many heart stopping moments in her short four years. She's a little spit fire that one," he said, hiding his brewing tears with a chuckle.

"I'll bet," she said. Olivia was amazed at what she was witnessing. In all the years she's known Elliot Stabler, this was a side she wasn't used to. He was opening up. He was tearing up. She was speechless. "I know I've only known Katie for about 5 hours," she laughed, "but, Elliot, you have an amazing little girl. She adores you. You're her- her hero. You were all she talked about when I first walked into her room."

Elliot watched her and felt his heart swell as his psych partner gushed about his daughter. "Thanks for telling me that. She's my heart, Liv. Katie has changed me so much. She's made me see what's important in life."

Elliot and Olivia both stared at each other, having a silent conversation with their eyes. They never noticed the waitress come and refill their glasses. The busboy cleared the table without them looking away. They both felt a connection with the other like never before. Olivia was the first to blush and look away. Elliot's heated stare was too much for her. Elliot took her cue and looked around, noticing that the deli employees were trying to clean up to close.

"I guess we should leave so they can finish closing up, huh," he chuckled.

Olivia nodded, got out of the booth and straightened her shirt. "I think you may be right." She walked with Elliot out of the restaurant and down the street back toward the hospital. They were silent most of the way there, each lost in their own thoughts. Olivia desperately wanted to ask Elliot about Katie's condition and why Kathy didn't seem to be in the picture. She kept opening her mouth to ask but would immediately close it.

Elliot knew that Olivia had something she wanted to say but was afraid to. He admitted to himself that he was afraid of what she would ask. He was going to let it go until he saw her open and immediately close her mouth again. He smirked to himself as he stopped walking and reached out to grab her hand to stop her as well. She turned to face him and her eyes were wide. Elliot knew he was starting to fall for those big, brown, doe eyes of hers. He also knew that he couldn't. Too many people had walked out on him and Katie. He wasn't about to let someone else hurt his little girl. "You do realize you look like a fish out of water, right," he said as he continued to hold her hand.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"When you open and close your mouth like that, you look like a fish. A damn gorgeous fish, but a fish none the less." Damn, did I say that out loud? He mentally kicked himself. "If you want to ask me something, Olivia, just ask."

* * *

><p>Does Olivia ask her questions? Does she chicken out? Can Elliot ignore his brewing feelings for Olivia? Where's Kathy really at? Just what in the world is going on with Katie? Do we get to meet Elizabeth and Don? Why is Olivia's last name Donnelly? All this and more will be answered... if you review ;-)<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I have no excuses for how long it's taken me to update this story other than real life. I have taken on a new position at work with double the responsibilities along with moving so I am stretched thin! I also want to thank my reviewers and those who have story alerted/author alerted me. It means so much! I will try to be better/quicker with the next chapter! As always... PLEASE REVIEW!**

* * *

><p><em>Previously...<em>

_Elliot knew that Olivia had something she wanted to say but was afraid to. He admitted to himself that he was afraid of what she would ask. He was going to let it go until he saw her open and immediately close her mouth again. He smirked to himself as he stopped walking and reached out to grab her hand to stop her as well. She turned to face him and her eyes were wide. Elliot knew he was starting to fall for those big, brown, doe eyes of hers. He also knew that he couldn't. Too many people had walked out on him and Katie. He wasn't about to let someone else hurt his little girl. "You do realize you look like a fish out of water, right," he said as he continued to hold her hand._

_"I'm sorry. What?"_

_"When you open and close your mouth like that, you look like a fish. A damn gorgeous fish, but a fish none the less." Damn, did I say that out loud? He mentally kicked himself. "If you want to ask me something, Olivia, just ask."_

* * *

><p>Olivia blushed and turned her head away. They had stopped at the small park that was adjacent to the hospital. Elliot gestured for her to sit down on a bench and so she did. "I guess.. umm... Well, earlier when I was with Katie she went on and on about the things you do together. I was just wondering where Kathy is now?"<p>

Elliot heaved a heavy sigh and stretched his arm across the back of the bench. "She took off when Katie was about 3 weeks old," he whispered, tucking his chin to his chest. "I left her at the hospital with Katie while I went to class and when I came back, she wasn't there. I went into the NICU and spent some time with my baby. I left about two hours later and when I got to the apartment we were living in and Kathy was waiting for me. She had her bags packed and papers signed where she was terminating her maternal rights to Katie."

Olivia just stared at Elliot, her mouth open slightly, wondering how someone could walk away from their child. Yes, her mother walked away from her, but at least she had a decent reason. Katie was an innocent child, abandoned by her mother. "Oh, Elliot, I- I don't know what to say."

Elliot scoffed and looked up at the night sky. "It's alright. We're better off without her anyway. I don't think Kathy ever really wanted Katie to begin with." He looked down at his hands and cleared his throat. "We haven't seen her since. Kathy's parents hung around for a few years but then they waltzed out too. She doesn't understand why her nanny and pappy don't see her anymore."

Olivia bit her lip to bite back the tears she wanted to shed. "Katie's had to go through so much already in her short little life. It just doesn't seem fair."

"Olivia, I never meant to hurt your feelings by not telling you about Katie. It's the only way I know how to protect her. She's fragile enough as it is, and with all she's going through, it's imperative that she be happy and carefree so that we can focus on her recovery and the fights she has ahead of her. I can't have people coming in and out of her life. I don't want her to get attached to someone and have them hurt her by leaving the way Kathy and her parents have."

Olivia twisted her fingers while trying to figure out what to say next. Elliot was opening up to her in a way she figured he's never done before. "You said Katie was in the NICU. Why?" She watched as Elliot shifted in his seat. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, El."

"No, I-" Elliot cleared his throat as he leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped tight together. "She was born almost six weeks early. The doctors weren't sure why. She was- God, Liv, she was so damn tiny. She weighed only 3.2 pounds. Her whole body just about fit in the palm of my hand. They immediately put her in this- this box looking thing and ran her out of the room. I was so torn. Do I follow my baby or stay with her mother?" Elliot took in a deep breath and ran his hands across his face a few times while trying to hide his tears. "I waited until I was sure Kathy was okay and then ran down to the NICU. They wouldn't let me see her for the longest time. I have- I- I've never been so scared in my entire life. All I could do was pace the hallway."

Olivia covered her mouth with her hand and placed the other on Elliot's back. "El, I- Oh I can't even imagine what that was like for you."

"It took hours before I was able to even lay eyes on my little girl. She- she didn't even look real. She was so still. So small. She had a blue tint to her skin. But those doctors said she was a fighter," he said with a tearful chuckle. "She was having irregular heart rhythms and some oxygen level issues. Her blood pressure would spike then fall and it was exhausting her little body. They made me leave her once the head neonatal doctor arrived and said he's come to Kathy's room later to talk to us. I didn't want to leave her, Liv. It was so hard to walk away from her." Elliot took in a deep breath and leaned back, trapping Olivia's hand between the back of the bench and the small of his back. "Kathy was doing fine. She was still out from the cesarean. I- I remember looking at her and being so mad. I was so sure she'd done something wrong and that's why she went into labor. I sat at Kathy's bedside for about two hours before the chaos started. Her parents showed up, mad as hell, and yelling at me. My parents showed up, my mom wouldn't stop crying and my dad looked like he was ready to pound on me. My saving grace was my best friend, Fin, and his girlfriend, Melinda showing up when they did. They kept me sane."

"Did the doctor ever come by the room?" Olivia asked, regretting ever starting the conversation when she saw how upset Elliot was becoming.

"Yea, he came up a few hours later with his whole team of bowling pins," he said, laughing. "That's what Fin named them. They always traveled together, behind the main doctor and Fin said they looked like bowling pins. I couldn't help but laugh every time I saw them."

"I'm sure that was his intention," she said with a smile as she wiggled her arm out from behind him. He looked at her funny and she shrugged. "My hand was going numb."

Elliot smirked and grabbed her hand, massaging it as he prepared to tell her the rest of his story. "So, Dr. Lovell finally came to Kathy's room a few hours later. Everyone was gone except for me, Kathy, and her parents. He told us he had been testing Katie's heart, lungs, and her brain. He said she showed signs of having this complex heart condition called HRHS. That stands for Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome." Elliot stopped talking as his voice caught in his throat. He quit massaging Olivia's hand and instead of letting it go, he held on tighter. "Basically," he said as he cleared his throat, "that means that the right side of her heart wasn't working and that the left side had to do the work of both sides."

"Sounds bad."

"Yea, it was. She also had a bunch of other stuff wrong with her heart too. They were giving her about a 40% chance of survival. They said she needed heart surgery in the next few days if she had any chance in hell of living but that the surgery was risky due to her size." Elliot closed his eyes and squeezed Olivia's hand. "I've never been so scared in all my life, Liv. Katie continues to scare the hell out of me. I look at her and I realize how close I've come to losing her so many times." He opened his eyes and looked over at Olivia for the first time in a while. "Katie's had 4 major open heart surgeries, five if you count the one where her doctor had to rush her back to surgery because she coded about an hour after getting to the ICU. She's had over 150 different medical procedures. She had surgery almost a year ago where they put a mechanical device in her heart, her left ventricle to be exact, to buy us some time before talking about a heart transplant. The device started to fail and now her heart function is only at 65%. Her left side is giving out. We're living in the hospital now, Liv. My baby can't even go home. She can't leave for any reason. The slightest infection could kill her," he said as the tears started to fall. "I can't lose my baby, Olivia, and I live with that fear every single day. My heart skips a beat if my phone rings and I'm not with her. I always think it's the hospital telling me she's taken a turn for the worse." He stopped talking as his voice caught in his throat and he held back sobs.

Olivia could clearly see the love, pain, exhaustion, fear, and frustration in his eyes as he spoke. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. She couldn't imagine going through all that he has, at their age, by herself. It seemed as though he had no one but his friends to help support him through this. She made a promise to herself that she would be there for him as best as she could. She figured he could use all the support he could get. Before she knew what she was doing, Olivia had reached out and traced the side of Elliot's face with her fingers and cupped it with her hand. She caressed his jaw as they stared at one another. "I don't know what else to say except I'm so sorry, Elliot," she whispered. "I don't know what you need but I'm here for you. Both of you."

Elliot leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers. "Thank you," he whispered back.

They lost track of how long they stayed that way, connected to one another, but they both pulled away at the same time. Olivia noticed that Elliot's eyes looked a little brighter and she smiled at him. He grabbed hold of her hand that was still cupping his jaw and kissed her palm. "You have no idea how good it feels to get some of that off my chest," he admitted, no longer afraid of what she might think. He pulled her into his arms and held her tight. He needed comfort and she was willing to give it. They both realized that they were falling fast and hard for each other and it scared them as well.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: In the first chapter I mentioned something about Olivia having to pick up her friend, Melinda, and it was supposed to be Melissa. Just to clear up any confusion. I also want to thank my reviewers and those who have story alerted/author alerted me and favorited this story. It means so much! As always... PLEASE REVIEW! They mean more than you know. Just a warning, I have somewhat mapped out this story and it has the potential to be LOOOOONG! So please hang in there with me :) The reviews give me the inspiration to write!  
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**AN2: Checked my email this morning to see if the paperwork had been signed by Mr Wolf to give me all rights to Elliot and Olivia... Apparently he's lost the papers and now won't return my calls. Gah! I knew he'd change his mind...**

***E/O***

Olivia and Elliot walked back to Katie's room quietly, neither wanting to admit to the brewing feelings between the two. They walked passed the nurses desk and tried not to look at any of the nurses that were watching them. They stopped in front of Katie's door and Elliot opened the door just enough to peek in on his still sleeping daughter. He looked back Olivia and watched as she shifted her weight from side to side, clearly unsure of what to do next. "Look, Liv, I just want to apologize again for how I acted earlier this afternoon. Katie had a bad night last night and I was exhausted and I took it out on the wrong person."

Olivia looked up at him with wide eyes. "Please don't apologize, El. I understand. I was acting a little bratty. If it's easier for you, we can start to meet here. I'm here a few days a week anyway, so it's not a problem." She looked away when he continued to stare at her. She wondered what he was thinking.

Elliot stared at her. He had so many things he wanted to say, more things he wanted to confess. "Movies," he blurted out when he saw her turn to walk away.

"Excuse me?" she asked with a slight chuckle.

Elliot blushed and ran a hand over his forehead. "Sorry, uhh, tomorrow is movie day down here. They set up one of the playroom with a projector screen, bean bags, blankets, that sort of thing. They play Disney movies all day and on into the night. It's Katie's favorite thing. And- and I know she'd be thrilled if you joined us."

Olivia smiled, flattered that he was inviting her to spend time with Katie. "Oh Elliot, I- I wish I could but I'm afraid I can't. I have plans tomorrow that can't be changed," she tried to explain. She hated the look of rejection that crossed over his handsome face.

"That's ok. I understand. Not everyone would want to spend the day with sick kids watching cartoon movies," he said with a self-deprecating chuckle. He nodded his head and moved to enter Katie's room.

Olivia reached out and grabbed his hand quickly before he could get away. "No, Elliot, it's not that at all. I'm supposed to go with my best friend, Alex, to help pick out her wedding dress tomorrow morning. And- and then tomorrow evening I have be home in Manhattan. My mother is campaigning for a spot as a judge and she's having a fundraising dinner. I swear, Elliot, if I could get out of either commitment, I would. I would love to spend more time with Katie... and with- well, with you."

"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions," Elliot said as he squeezed her hand. He leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. "So," he coughed and cleared his throat, "I guess I will see you when I see you?" he asked.

"Of course," she replied. "If things go quickly with Alex then I may be able to drop by for a little while before heading to my parents."

Elliot looked hopeful and couldn't help the gleam in his eye. He knew he was in trouble. He didn't want to get involved with anyone, especially with Katie's future so uncertain. But then again, he'd prayed for someone like Olivia from time to time. Someone to talk to when things became difficult, someone to help him bear the burden of a sick child. It was hard to do it alone and though he wouldn't wish this pain on anyone, Elliot desperately prayed for some help. Sure he had his friends and occasionally his parents, but that wasn't the same as having a partner, someone to equally share the load. He knew Kathy should be here, that she should be helping him comfort their little girl, but in a way he was glad she wasn't. Kathy was never very good at being selfless.

"You have my number," he told her. "Just send a text either way."

Olivia nodded and bid him goodnight. She watched as he quietly entered Katie's room and jumped when someone put their hand on her shoulder. "Jesus, Lynn. You scared me," she gasped.

Lynn chuckled. "Sorry, kid. Listen, you're roommate has called here about twenty times looking for you. Call her before you head out, ok?"

"Crap. I forgot to tell her I was going out to dinner with Elliot."

"I wasn't aware that you and Mr. Stabler knew each other, Olivia."

She gave a slight smile. "He's my psych partner. We went to high school together." Then her smile faded. "I had no idea he even had a daughter until tonight," Olivia said as the two headed towards the nurses desk so she could collect her things.

"That little girl is a walking miracle, Olivia. From a medical standpoint, she really shouldn't even be alive right now. But her daddy- that young man- he's a good one. He's in the chapel, every night, praying for his baby." Lynn said as she went about her business, charting and filing. "The big man upstairs must really love him to keep that little girl alive for him. Katie is his everything. Since the doctors have said that Katie can't leave until her heart transplant, he's sold his apartment, and he's here with her every night, and the majority of the day. He's given up everything for her. Poor little girl only knows the love of a daddy. She's never known what it means to have a mama." Lynn's eyes shot up as she realized what all she's said. "Ooo, listen to me and my big mouth. Go on home now, Olivia. We'll see you next time."

Olivia couldn't speak. Her words caught in her throat so she just nodded as she left the floor. She felt the tears stinging her eyes as she made her way to her car. She ignored the stares from strangers and kept her head down and her jacket collar pulled high. She made it to her car in record time. As she closed the door, she rested her head on her steering wheel and sobbed. She cried for Katie and how unfair her life had been, she cried for Elliot as she tried to comprehend the pain and fear he dealt with on a daily basis, she cried for the other kids on that cardiac floor, and she cried for herself; for how selfish she must seem to Elliot. This was why she couldn't make a career in the medical field and she promised herself that, tomorrow, she would make her mother understand. But first there was something she needed to do. Olivia lifted her head and wiped her eyes. She opened her phone and dialed her most familiar number. She listened as the other line continued to ring and she knew the voice-mail was soon to kick in. Olivia smiled as she heard her mother's always-professional tone and took a deep breath as she waited for the beep.

"Hey Mama. It's me. I know you're busy preparing for tomorrow night but I just wanted to call and tell you I love you. You've sacrificed so much for me when you didn't have to," she paused and thought about her words, "Mama, I don't think I've ever said 'thank you' for any of it." Olivia bit her lip as she debated what to say next. "Um, I don't know if you've talked to Dad but I'll be home later tomorrow evening. Don't worry, Mama. I'll be there in plenty of time for your party, I just have a few errands to run before I head home. I plan to stay home until Monday morning... so, maybe, if you aren't busy on Sunday we can have a lazy girls day. You know, like we used to when I was little. Stay in our jammies, watch chick flicks, eat junk food. Anyway, I love you, Mama, so very much and I can't wait to see you. Bye."

Olivia ended the call and sighed. Then she dialed another number and waited for the person to answer.

"Hey, Case. Case, I- Casey, shut up. I'm sorry. I went to catch a late dinner with Elliot and- yes, Casey, _that _Elliot. I didn't think to call but I'm headed home now. Oh, we just talked about our project. Yes. See you in a bit. Bye."

***E/O***

Olivia hung up and closed her cell phone then tossed it in her purse. She backed out of her spot and headed towards her apartment. Her mind wandered as she drove and she was surprised when she pulled into her apartment complex. _How did I get here? _she wondered to herself. She parked her car, grabbed her stuff, and headed for the door. When she opened the door she was greeted with the smiling face of her best friend since kindergarten, Alexandra Cabot. Olivia dropped her bags as Alex crashed into her, crushing her in a bear hug. "Easy, Lex, you're gonna break me," she laughed.

Alex spun her around and squeezed harder. "Harvard is too damn far away from you, Olive." She finally released Olivia and stepped back. "Can you believe we are going shopping for my wedding dress tomorrow? I'm so excited!"

Before she could answer, a little brunette blur came running down the hall wrapped herself around Olivia's legs and squealed, "Auntie Liv!"

Olivia grinned and picked up the ball of energy. "Kennedy Munch!" she squealed, mimicking the girl. "What in the world are you doing here?" she asked playfully, tickling the young girl. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Mommy needed to trade weekends with Daddy but Daddy had to work and so Alex wanted me to come here with her. Daddy says we gotta find our dresses for the wedding and I gotta make sure Alex gets a pretty one that doesn't cost him his retirement. Whatever that means," she explained at a rapid pace. The adults laughed at Kennedy's explanation and the little girl got down out of Olivia's arms. She grabbed Alex's hand and told her she was ready for bed.

Alex picked up her future step-daughter and headed towards the guest bedroom. "I'll be back in a bit."

Olivia and Casey kissed Kennedy's cheek before Alex walked down the hall with the girl. Casey waited until the door closed before she started to ask Olivia questions about her date with Elliot.

"First off, Case, it wasn't a date. It was dinner," Olivia explained as she went to put her things away.

Casey followed her into her room and plopped down on Olivia's bed. "Seriously, Liv? Are you sure it wasn't a date? I mean, Elliot Stabler is one hot tamale."

Olivia laughed but rolled her eyes at her friend. "It was _not_ a date, Casey. I paid for my own sandwich and we just talked," she said again. She grabbed her pajamas and went into her bathroom to change. She heard her door open and Alex groan as she collapsed and spread out on Olivia's bed, making herself comfortable.

"So, what have I missed?" she heard Alex ask Casey.

Olivia opened the door as she pulled her shirt down and gave Casey a 'shut up' look. "My dear room mate seems to think I went on a date with Elliot Stabler tonight." She smirked at Alex's surprised face. "It wasn't a date. We simply went to dinner and we each paid for our own food." She watched Alex for her reaction and when she saw the question in her eyes, she piped in. "Yes, Lex, that Elliot. We're psych partners and we're working on a project."

Casey seemed to accept Olivia's explanation and Olivia was thankful. After a few minutes of useless conversation about Alex's life at Harvard Casey suddenly jumped up off the bed and pointed at Olivia. "What was Elliot doing at the hospital? Surely he didn't show up just to talk about the project. It was sooooo a date," she exaggerated.

Alex pulled Casey back down on the bed and shushed her as Olivia rolled her eyes at her friend's antics. "Cassandra Novak, if you wake up Kennedy I'll kill you."

Olivia used this as a chance to change the subject and get answers to a few questions she's wanted to ask. "Alex," she said, trying to get her friend's attention away from Casey, "speaking of Kennedy, how is that going? I mean, are you ready to be a step-mother and everything?"

Alex let go of Casey's arm and her features softened. "Olive, she's the most amazing kid I've ever known. She's so smart, so sweet, so funny, and so charismatic. You know me, I was never even sure I ever wanted kids. But being in Kennedy's life, seeing John with her, guys... I want a million kids with him. I'll admit, we started out slow but I love her with all my heart. She makes our life so much better."

Olivia smiled at her friend as she went on and on about her future step-daughter. She often wondered how Alex handled being with a man, an older man at that, who had not only already been married, but who also had a child. Alex was only twenty-two and was about to become instant mother to a six year old. It made her wonder about Elliot and Katie and whether or not he'd ever let anyone in their life. _Wait! What? Where'd that thought come from?_ she wondered to herself. She listened to Alex and tried to catch up on the conversation.

"Our appointment is at nine tomorrow morning at Kleinfeld's. I can't wait," Alex said and Olivia was happy that they'd changed subjects.

"Do you know what kind of dress you're wanting?" Casey asked as she laid back against Olivia's headboard and pulled a pillow onto her lap.

"I have a few ideas," Alex answered, rolling over and laying her head on the pillow in Casey's lap.

Olivia laughed as she watch her friends gush over wedding talk. It reminded her of prom time during their senior year; the hours spent in Olivia's room looking at dress magazines, shoes, and hair ideas while spread out on her bed munching on snacks. She grimaced as Casey sneezed in the direction of Alex's face. Sure her mouth was covered but Alex jumped up quickly nonetheless. "You guys never change," she laughed as Alex lightly smacked Casey on the back of her head.

"That's why you love us," Casey replied.

Olivia got up off her bed, pulled back her covers, and got back in bed. She snuggled down into her bed and gave her friends a smirk. "Of course I love you guys. Who else could put up with you two?" She laughed and covered her face as Casey threw a throw pillow at her. "Get out of my room, Novak," she groaned. "I'm sleepy and tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Casey got up off the bed and hugged her friends. "Fine. Good night. Alex, where are you sleeping?" Alex answered by pulling back the covers on the other side of Olivia's bed. Casey scoffed. "Why am I left out of this slumber party?" she whined.

Olivia chuckled and turned out the lamp beside her. "Good night, Casey."

*E/O*

Elliot Stabler lay in the darkened hospital room, staring at the ceiling, and listened to his daughter snore lightly. He was exhausted but was unable to sleep. His thoughts were running through his mind at a rate of a million times a minute. He thought of Olivia; of the things he shared with her. He shared more with her than anyone else besides Fin and Melinda and he wasn't sure why. He'd always gone to such lengths to protect Katie and he managed to spill his guts to his psych partner. He knew Olivia was a good person and that she wasn't the type to post on facespace about this. but it still unnerved him that he was so open with her.

_It was her eyes_, he told himself. Her eyes were trusting, kind, honest, and oh so big and beautiful. Olivia was funny, smart, sweet, wholesome, and she had this innocence to her but he also knew she'd been through a lot in her life; just as he had. Maybe that was why he felt drawn to her.

Elliot fell asleep that night on the uncomfortable hospital couch with thoughts of Olivia dancing in his head. He suddenly didn't feel so alone. It would be the best night of sleep he'd had in almost a year.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Thank you for all the reviews! And the alerts! And the follows! I'm so excited that people like this story! Again, I am so sorry for the long wait between updates but life has been crazy! I moved so I've been busy packing my house, had to cut off internet and cable early so I wouldn't have to pay an extra bill… then had surgery and I am just now to myself enough to write again. Thank you all for being patient with me and with this story. I know it's starting out a little slow but I promise it will be worth it ;) Also, thanks to my amazing betas! You ladies rock!

AN2: Still waiting to hear back from Mr Wolf. He is purposely dodging my calls and emails…

*E/O*

Olivia awoke that morning to giggling coming from her living room. She smiled to herself and climbed out of bed. She quietly padded out to the living room and turned to face the kitchen. Casey was sitting, half asleep, on one of the stools watching as Alex and Kennedy fixed breakfast. Kennedy was sitting on the counter, a safe distance from the stove, laughing and watching her future step-mother flip pancakes in the air. Olivia leaned against the wall and watched the show with a smile on her face. Kennedy was the first to notice her as she scrambled down from the counter.

"Auntie Liv!" she squealed. Her little feet carried her as fast as they could and she jumped into Olivia's arms. "We've been waiting for you for forever."

"For forever?" Olivia questioned, settling the little girl on her hip and making her way to the kitchen. "That's a long time." She poked at the little girl's side, making her laugh and squeal again. "Alex, I didn't know you could cook, let alone flip pancakes like Emril."

Alex shot her a look over her shoulder and smirked. "Hey, you do what you have to do to fit in with the younger generation." She went back to what she was doing and poured some more batter onto the griddle. "Come here, Mini-Munch," she said as she flipped another pancake. She stuck her hand out to keep Kennedy from getting too close to the stove. She handed her a plate and flipped three pancakes onto it. "Who are those for, Baby?"

"Auntie Liv!" she answered.

"Well, I think Auntie Case has been waiting longer. Maybe we should give those to her," Alex suggested.

"OK," the little girl said. She hopped with the plate over to Casey and put it down in front of her. "Here Auntie Case. Auntie Case?" Kennedy looked at Olivia, not sure what to do. Olivia shrugged her shoulders and tried to laugh quietly. Casey was sound asleep, propped up by one hand, with her mouth open. "Lexie? Auntie Case looks funny."

Alex turned away from the stove and had to cover her mouth with her hand. "Mini-Munch, hand me my phone, baby," she whispered. Kennedy grabbed Alex's phone off the counter by Olivia and handed it to her. "Now, go sit on the other stool and when I count to three you and Auntie Liv are going to scream really loud," she instructed, quietly giggling as Olivia and Kennedy gave each other silent high fives before Kennedy climbed up beside Casey.

Alex started the video recorder on her phone and counted to three on her fingers. She grimaced as Kennedy let out a high-pitched scream -horror movie worthy- right into Casey's left ear. Olivia's scream was much quieter, but the end result was perfect. Casey's hand fell away from her face and she scrambled away from the table, knocking over her stool, screaming too. Alex stopped the video, cackling right along with Kennedy and Olivia.

Casey stopped screaming and looked at the trio. "Oh you guys are evil!" she exclaimed. "I could have died!" She stood with her hands on her hips.

Kennedy, holding her stomach, hopped off her stool and hugged Casey around the waist. "You should have seen your face, Auntie Case. You looked funny," she said, still laughing.

Olivia brushed the tears away from her eyes get up to hug Casey. "It was pretty dang funny. Admit it, you would have done it to one of us."

Casey raised an eyebrow and smirked. "True." The group laughed as Alex continued to make pancakes.

Once they had all eaten, adults showered, and all four dressed, they headed to Alex's dress appointment. They met with the consultant and Alex began to try on dresses. As Alex was trying on her fourth dress, Olivia felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She grabbed it and checked it, smiling at who it was.

_Elliot: Whatcha doin?_

_Olivia: Watching my bff try on beautiful dresses. But you already knew that… ;)_

_Elliot: I was hoping u might be able 2 drop by before u head back 2 the city. After last night, I want 2 officially introduce u 2 Katie :)_

_Olivia: I promise I will try. If not, I will come by on Monday when I get back._

_Elliot: I guess I can wait until then if I have to ;)_

Olivia smiled to herself and chuckled at Elliot's attempt at flirting. She heard a door open and quickly put her phone away as Alex and the consultant came back out. Alex squealed as she stepped up onto the platform in from of the mirrors.

"So," Alex began, looking at Olivia," what do you think?"

Olivia looked in Alex's eyes and saw that she was desperate for approval on this dress. Olivia's eyes began to tear up at the sight of her best friend. "I love it," she said softly, trying not to cry. "John will too," she added.

Alex smiled and nodded her head, staring at herself in the mirror. She turned to look at Kennedy and asked if she also liked the dress. Kennedy said it was the most beautiful dress in the store and then decided she loved it even more when she found out that the store would be able to make one identical to it for her to wear.

An hour later, the group left the store and headed to get some lunch. After lunch they all headed back to Olivia's apartment. Alex and Kennedy packed their things, hugged Casey and Olivia goodbye, and headed back to Boston.

Olivia stood outside on her balcony, watching Alex's car fade into the distance. She was sad to see them go. She'd missed her best friend so much since she'd chosen to go to Harvard. Olivia knew it was the right choice for Alex, seeing as how if she'd gone to Hudson, she never would have met John Munch. He was a detective in the homicide division in Boston. He was quite a few years older than Alex, but the age difference didn't seem to bother anyone. Alex had always been wiser than her twenty-two years. Olivia had gotten to know John very well over the last two years and she couldn't be happier for her friend. John was a good man and he loved Alex very much. Then there was Kennedy; if Alex hadn't gone to Harvard and met John, then Olivia would never know the precious little girl she considered a niece. She loved Kennedy very much and she was amazed at how Alex was with the little girl.

Thinking about Kennedy made Olivia's thoughts travel to Katie Stabler. She looked down at her watch and knew that if she hurried, she'd have a few extra minutes to stop by the hospital. She didn't know why she was so eager to see Elliot and Katie, but she was. She went back inside, noticing that Casey wasn't in the living room, and made her way into her bedroom. Olivia grabbed her partially packed bag from her closet, read through her packing check list she had stuck on top of the clothes, and began getting things together. She went into her bathroom and packed her toiletries in a separate bag and set it on her bed.

Casey walked into Olivia's room and plopped down on her bed. "So, I saw you checking your phone while Alex was changing into that last dress. Care to dish on who you were talking to?" Casey asked, playing with Olivia's pink teddy bear.

Olivia looked over at Casey and sighed. "If you must know, Ms. Nosey, it was my mom. She was checking on what time I was going to be home. Speaking of, you better get your stuff packed. I'll be leaving in about 45 minutes."

Casey tossed 'Pinky' into the air and caught her. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm riding in with Ben. He decided to go see his brother in the city. Plus, I figure, since all my stuff is here, I'll just get ready and take my dress with me."

Olivia stopped packing for a moment and looked over at her friend. "Don't forget to wear a button-down shirt or you'll mess up your hair."

Casey jumped off the bed and headed towards the door. She turned back towards Olivia and blew her a kiss. "This is why I love you, Livvie," Casey said before turning and going back to her room.

Shortly after returning to her task of packing for the long weekend, Olivia's phone rang. "Hello," she said, balancing the phone between her shoulder and cheek. It was her friend Melissa; she was calling to tell her she had come down with a stomach bug and wouldn't be able to make the trip to Manhattan with her to attend her mother's party. "Oh, Melissa, I'm sorry you're sick. Do you need me to bring you anything on my way out?" The two conversed for a few more minutes before Melissa had to quickly hang up. Olivia set her phone down on her bedside table and went back to finish her packing. She tucked Pinky into her bag and glanced over her list to make sure she had everything.

Just as Olivia finished zipping her bag, her phone signaled that she had a message. She picked it up and looked at the screen. There was another text from Elliot. Grinning, she sat on the bed and read it.

_Elliot: So, I'll have u know, u have gotten me in trouble with my girl._

_Olivia: Uh oh :( What did I do?_

_Elliot: I'm gonna need u 2 teach me how 2 do that fancy braid. Katie is demanding it! Haha! She's been asking 4 u all day!_

_Olivia: Well… it just so happens that my schedule has lightened… so I am going to be able to drop by the hospital. Not for long, of course. But I'll be there in about an hour :)_

_Elliot: We can't wait _

_Elliot: :)_

Olivia snapped her phone shut and grabbed her bags. She told Casey she was running down to her car and that she'd be back. She quickly put the bags in her trunk and went back into the apartment. She grabbed her dress bag, purse, and a stuffed monkey her dad had given her a few years ago. Olivia stopped in Casey's room and hugged her goodbye, making Casey promise that she'd be at her house on time for the party. Casey promised and Olivia got into her car and left. She smiled to herself as she headed towards the hospital.

E/O

Elliot set his phone down beside him and squeezed his little girl close. They were currently cuddled together in a large bean bag chair watching 'The Little Mermaid.' He wasn't sure why, but he couldn't wait to see Olivia and formally introduce her to Katie. Fingering Katie's IV line, Elliot looked up to make sure that her fluids had not run out. Seeing that they were alright, he turned his attention back to the movie and cuddling with his little miracle. Elliot kissed the top of her head and smiled to himself when he felt Katie settle herself further into her father. He only hoped she didn't fall asleep before Olivia arrived.


End file.
